Court rejects arrest warrant for driver in deadly car crash in Seoul

By Park Sae-jin Posted : July 4, 2024, 17:10 Updated : July 4, 2024, 17:10
 
Policemen guard a car crash site near the Seoul City Hall on July 1 The accident killed nine people and injured seven Yonhap Photo
Policemen guard a car crash site in Seoul on July 1, 2024. The accident killed nine people and injured seven. Yonhap

SEOUL, July 04 (AJU PRESS) - A court has dismissed an arrest warrant for a 68-year-old driver involved in a deadly car crash that killed nine people and injured seven in central Seoul on Monday night, police said Thursday.

The tragic accident occurred around 9:27 p.m. (1227 GMT) at an intersection near City Hall in Seoul. A Genesis luxury sedan, driven by the man identified by his surname Cha, was traveling the wrong way on a one-way, four-lane street. Cha lost control of the car, colliding with two oncoming vehicles before running over pedestrians waiting on the sidewalk for a traffic signal.
 
A person prays for the victims at the accident site near City Hall Station in Seoul on July 4 2024 AJU PRESS Han Jun-gu
A person prays for the victims of a deadly car crash at an accident site in Seoul on July 4, 2024. AJU PRESS Han Jun-gu
Cha, who sustained broken ribs in the accident, was arrested by police and reportedly blamed the crash on a car malfunction, claiming he experienced unintended acceleration, which causes a vehicle's engine and breaks to become uncontrollable. However, police analyzed the car's event data recorder (EDR) and found that Cha had stepped on the accelerator pedal just before the crash.

Police said that the Seoul Central District Court rejected the arrest warrant the previous day deeming it unnecessary. They explained that Cha is currently hospitalized and under police protection, making it unlikely he would fail to appear for questioning.

Meanwhile, the scene of the accident remains damaged, and citizens continue to visit the site, offering flowers, snacks, alcoholic drinks, and letters in tribute to the victims.
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Park Sae-jin Reporter
Park Sae-jin

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